Borrowing From Your French Boyfriend’s Closet Is About to Get Much Easier

David Sarfati saw a hole in his market. As the founder of cult Parisian menswear label 13 Bonaparte, he realized not so long ago that something was missing from his lineup of chic denim and utilitarian-inspired ready-to-wear. As he explains, “We really observed a strong response in our Paris store: Some come back to buy the same style in a different wash, or, more times than not, they return to buy more because their girlfriend stole their favorite pair!” Sarfati is now filling that void by introducing a capsule selection of denim just for women. The nine items are part of a larger 19-piece collection called Le Denim, which also includes unisex and men’s and ranges in price from $140 to $440. There is a straight-cut jean jumpsuit with a wraparound belt and mandarin collar, as well as a dark denim kimono jacket and a light-wash kimono dress. Le Denim also includes elastic wide-leg pants, a crop top, and a high-waist miniskirt.

“Our foundational inspirations for the new denim designs came from American land artists and minimalists of the 1960s and 1970s, like Robert Smithson, Nancy Holt, and Robert Morris,” Sarfati says. For the lookbook, he tapped into a very different medium—dance—choosing New York City Ballet soloists Megan LeCrone and Harrison Ball to model the collection. “I was eager to collaborate in a way that captured their talent as well as their interpersonal dynamic,” he says. “We’re launching this denim collection at our first New York pop-up, and I loved the idea of inviting two locals engaged in the cultural landscape of the city to bring 13 Bonaparte’s energy to life.”

Le Denim will be available online and at that pop-up space in the Lower East Side on April 19, marking the brand’s official entrée into the U.S.; a permanent American outpost is expected to open in Los Angeles in August. “In part, this was a response to the consistent feedback we heard from American visitors to our Paris store,” Sarfati says. “Month after month, Americans represent our second-largest customer demographic, and we’re eager to bring the brand closer to these clients.” Or, more precisely, those women who love stealing their French boyfriend’s jeans.